81 ISSUE GET YOUR APRIL/MAY 2020 SKILLS MAINTENANCE POINT! GET PLACEMAKERS IN YOUR POCKET COVER View, track, and update your orders from your phone. Plus much more! See inside to find out when it's coming to a branch near you. Page 9 PM19-469863257 UC Apr May 2020 Cover.indd 1 9/03/20 2:29 PM FOREWORD VIEW FROM THE GM OPERATIONS INDUSTRY WELLBEING As summer departs, I am reminded that all things are cyclical. In some ways, it would be easier to live in a straight line – constant, steady work in our industry and a mindset that is always on an even keel would be a simple way forward But this is not the way for our industry, which has been through many booms and busts. Likewise, we all have times when it seems like everything is going our way and other times when we struggle, things pile up and it can all start to feel like too much. Mental health in our society is under the spotlight more and more, so it is pleasing to see valuable work is now taking place in our industry to address it. Site Safe has partnered with Construction Health and Safety NZ (CHASNZ), the Mental Health Foundation and Mates in Construction to produce a handy wallet-sized card to help guide us into having conversations with those who might be struggling. I encourage you to take the time to read it and to look out for your workmates. Look out for yourself, too! Hopefully, the advice from our contributors can ADVERT help with that. Law firm Duncan Cotterill explains how to protect your Mental health in tools in the event of a client’s receivership or liquidation. We also feature insurance advice from Builtin on how main contractors can avoid being our society is under stuck with all of the responsibility and liability if something goes wrong. the spotlight more Speaking of insurance, the landscape in New Zealand has recently shifted and more, so it is with the surprise departure of Lloyd’s of London as underwriter for builders’ pleasing to see guarantees globally. We take a look at what this means for our industry. valuable work Something that would likely improve all of our outlooks is to do more is now taking place of the things we enjoy. This applies to work, too. Have you ever thought in our industry to about what your favourite sort of building job is or who your ideal customer is? Business coach Graeme Owen explains this is more than address it wishful thinking and is an important part of creating a sustainable business – read more inside. PINK BATTS R3.6 CEILING Lastly, thanks to our suppliers, our customers and our own staff, many of 2 whom are raising funds for worthy causes in their regions. Read about this INSULATION 7.4M BALE and more in this issue! • R-values up to R3.6 to assist in keeping homes above 18°C as per the World Health Organisation’s recommendation for a healthy & comfortable home. • Easy to install, lightweight, flexible and simple design makes the installation fast & easy • Internationally certified for Indoor Air Quality, gives assurance that products meet strict chemical emissions limits Gary Woodhouse • Non-combustible, will not easily burn in the event of a fire TRADE PRICE • Made from over 80% recycled glass-making sustainable use of waste General Manager Operations • Designed for New Zealand building conditions $ +GST 3401049 55/BALE Bonus offers exclusively to trade account holders only. Excludes Know How Rewards. All prices exclude GST. Products featured may not be stocked in all stores but can be ordered in at the advertised price. Offers valid from Wednesday 1ST April – Sunday 31ST May 2020. 1 CONTENTS BUILDERS' BUSINESS NEWS PROPOSED CONSENT REFORMS – YES OR NO? 4 PAC NEWS February's Apprentice of the Month; Builders’ Business is a column by builders for builders. Its objective is to provide a forum, Apprentice Focus particularly for small business operators, in which to share knowledge, experience, tips and ideas 8 COMMUNITY NEWS PlaceMakers staff, suppliers and customers supporting local charities How do you feel about the government’s proposed reforms on modern methods of construction 9 PLACEMAKERS NEWS PlaceMakers new Trade App Q: (also known as prefabricated building)? 17 INDUSTRY NEWS MBIE responds to fraudulent use of LBP number; 10 LBP fined for not ensuring consents in place; New Firm: A1 Homes Wairarapa Firm: Form Builders Ltd Firm: John Creighton Builders Ltd Zealand’s insurance market shake-up; Conflicting Principal: Paul Southey Principal: Matt Stevenson Principal: John Creighton judgements on tiny homes; Latest consenting stats Location: Wairarapa Location: Christchurch Location: Christchurch 25 PRODUCT NEWS Healthy homes – everything you need to comply; Staff: 10 Staff: 13 Staff: 30 Be silica-safe with Nilfisk’s H-class vacuum The reforms on modern methods of The cutting of red tape as Streamlining the consent process construction will help build affordable proposed by government will at the factory level will benefit the FEATURES housing around the country. Prefab benefit the affordable housing construction of affordable housing, factories can build homes on a larger and social housing sectors in reducing the number of inspections 3 BUILDERS’ BUSINESS Business practices of your fellow builders scale, which would benefit first home a big way. and associated costs. buyers and those in need of social housing. 10 MBIE – CODEWORDS Find out how the Building Code has, and continues However, factory building is a small 22 to, evolve to meet the current needs of Unfortunately, the consenting process Any simplification percentage of the market, and even if New Zealanders remains an issue for traditional building, of the consent process, it grows with red tape being cut, there’s with long timelines and frustrations. still a large portion of the industry 12 MBIE – CODEWORDS Tried and trusted standards provide confidence so long as it’s when using timber joinery The councils are in the same boat as building traditional houses and having most of the building industry, in that they maintaining robust issues with the consenting process. 14 BRANZ Retrofitting insulation – managing requirements are understaffed and don’t have enough quality assurance versus reality resources to support the consenting Future reforms should look at improving process. standards, is reasonable the consenting process across the sector. The Successful Builder shares three strategies that 28 BUSINESS TIPS For high-end homes like those we build, have helped secure success for him and his clients I believe improvements can be made I think any simplification of it’s hard to find consistency in the way 30 SITE SAFE What’s happening in your world? Tips for tackling regarding other forms of building too. the consent process, so long buildings are inspected. With the council mental health in the workplace In our business, we might work with four as it’s maintaining robust contracting different consent officers, councils and the same designs might get quality assurance standards, you can find yourself with ten things 30 32 WORKSAFE An enforceable undertaking – improvement in place four different questions from each council. is reasonable. to fix or 100. of punishment When we build the same plan, the process 34 LEGAL Protect your tools! would be totally different again. For factory builds that offer Establishing a consistent approach products at the cheaper level, to building inspections would go a 36 BUILTIN Main contractors getting stuck in the middle due to More collaboration and sharing of not having to apply for consents long way. It would allow builders to limited Terms of Trade resources and documents between local at both the manufacturing know what to expect with every councils would allow companies, who and build stages streamlines the inspection and save having so many build similar designs in high volume across process and makes that model corrections to make, which slows down OTHER STUFF many councils, a more efficient process. more economically sustainable. the process. 40 SPONSORSHIP Working bee looking for a home 40 40 SKILLS MAINTENANCE Record your LBP skills maintenance – you’ve NOW HAVE YOUR SAY... earned it! SOME DISGRUNTLED HOMEOWNERS RECENTLY SUGGESTED BUILDERS SHOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE THE WIN! ISSUE 81 > APRIL/MAY 2020 AVERAGE NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS FAILED PER JOB. DO YOU THINK THIS WOULD ACCURATELY REFLECT >PUBLISHER > DCL Corporate Publishing > ENQUIRIES > [email protected]; (04) 384 5689 A BUILDER’S SKILL LEVEL? ANSWER THIS QUESTION TO ENTER OUR QUARTERLY PRIZE DRAW DCL Corporate Publishing reserves the right to accept or reject all editorial or advertising material. No part of Under Construction magazine may be published without the express permission of the Email your answer with your full name, contact phone number, company name, number of full-time staff and the publisher. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed or imagery in Under Construction magazine are not necessarily those of PlaceMakers or the publisher. No responsibility is accepted for the suggestions of city or town in which you’re based to [email protected]. All responses must be submitted the contributors or conclusions that may be drawn from them. Although the publisher has made every effort to ensure accuracy, the reader remains responsible for the correct use and selection of any tools, by 25 April 2020. The answers to this question will be published in Under Construction June/July 2020. materials and systems followed, as well as the following of any laws or codes or standards that may apply. 2 3 PAC NEWS PAC NEWS PLACEMAKERS APPRENTICE CREW PLACEMAKERS APPRENTICE CREW HEADLINEFROM THE GROUND UP FEBRUARY APPRENTICE OF THE MONTH Standfirst Second-year apprentice aces his first project management task, successfully managing a unit Our apprentice column provides an opportunity for PAC members to share their views, experiences and ideas, re-clad and directing a team opy while providing insight for builders who employ them.